


Four's a couple.

by odinstark



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dancing, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Holding Hands, Light Angst, M/M, Nicknames, Pet Names, Play Fighting, Polyamory, Post-Magic Reveal, Secret Relationship, Sharing Clothes, Sharing a Bed, Sharing a Room, Sneaking Around, Tickle Fights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-02 18:35:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20816897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/odinstark/pseuds/odinstark
Summary: When the candles burn low, two shadowy figures join the King and Queen in their Chambers.(Just a little thing to celebrate one of the most underrated relationships in Merlin, full stop.)





	Four's a couple.

An almost warm breeze blew through the stone corridors as two sets of boots made their way from different sides of the castle, both heading to the same destination.

They greeted each other happily at the side door, before slipping inside, one after the other, into the bedchamber.

"You're late," a voice chastised from behind the bed's curtains, but with no hint of actual displeasure, as the two changed quickly into bedclothes left for them on the oak dresser beside the bed.

"I'm sorry," Merlin replied, flopping into Arthur's lap and the king immediately smiled and began to card his fingers through the sorcerer's hair, to relax him,

"I was working on something and I lost track time of time."

Arthur hmm'd in acceptance as Gwen appeared from behind the partition, dressed in one of Arthur's shirts as a nightgown.

"And what is your excuse?" she raised her eyebrow at Lancelot with a grin on her face. The said knight wrapped his arms around her waist as she got closer, and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Leon wanted a word with me. Apparently~," Lancelot drawled, as Gwen giggled at the feeling of his exhale against her bare neck,

"There's been reports of 'two shadowy figures roaming around the corridors near the King and Queen's room at night' and he believed it to be of some issue of importance."

Arthur smirked as Gwen and Lancelot climbed into bed and cuddled beside him and Merlin, who was still face down in his chest, 

"Oh? I would believe it would be. Those two figures might be threats against mine and Guinevere's lives."

Merlin chuckled from his place on Arthur's chest before he squished in between Gwen and Lancelot, snuggling against the soft material of Gwen's nightshirt and the sturdiness of Lancelot's torso,

"Hmm, I guess Lancelot and I should check the corridors for these evildoers tomorrow night, then?"

Lancelot smiled as Arthur leaned his head on his shoulder and Gwen reached an arm over Merlin's stomach to hold hands with the king,

"That's how I got away, I told him I would investigate right now as I 'couldn't sleep', and was going on a walk anyway."

The Queen spooned Merlin deeper more as she stared up into the knight's eyes with a look of love in her own, 

"You've always been the craftiest of us all, my love."

Lancelot blushed at the compliment and pet name as Arthur grumbled from beside him, obviously remember the ordeal of Lancelot's first knighthood all those years ago,

"Tell me about it."

"Hey that was all Merlin's idea! Don't pin it on me!" said sorcerer stuck his tongue out at Lancelot, and scowled.

"You went through with it! That's all on you, sunshine."

"Maybe not, maybe so, where's your proof?" he replied as Merlin scowled at him again, but this with a smirk lingering on his lips.

"I'll show you proof," he stated, pushing himself up to rest on one elbow.

"Oh yeah?" Lancelot challenged as the Monarchs sighed lovingly from either side of their dumb idiots fighting.

Merlin jumped up and straddled the knights waist and wasted no time into digging his fingers into Lancelot's side, tickling him to within an inch of his sanity.

The Knight laughed and giggled almost as much as Gwen and Arthur did watching them fight, as for once the strong Knight was powerless against an attacker. Merlin used as much weight as he had to keep Lancelot pressed down against the soft mattress as he continued his merciless assault, peppering in kisses to knight's stubbley jaw as temporary reprieves from the tickling onslaught.

"O-Okay! Okay! I-I yield!" Lancelot gasped, tears of laughter leaking from his eyes as the warlock stilled his hands on the knight's sides, thumbs still brushing the exposed skin where his shirt had rose up during the activity, 

"You win!"

"Now...." Merlin had a mischievous look on his face as he thought about what to choose as his prize, which fell flat as he came to a conclusion about what he wanted to claim,

"Tell me....you love me?"

The other three room occupants hearts melted as they saw the uncertainty in Merlin's eyes, who was just anxious and unsure in nature, but especially about their relationship. He had admitted on multiple occasions that he almost felt as if he didn't belong at their sides, which was always kissed out of him. They convinced him everytime that he did and always would have a place in their bed and in their hearts, to which Merlin would reply with a smile bright enough to put the stars to shame.

"Of course, of course I love you," Lancelot pulled him down against his chest, wrapping his strong arms around the man's back, which relaxed under his touch.

Gwen snuggled closer and let of Arthur's hand to hold Merlin's which was left loosely hanging by Lancelot's shoulders and the King did the same on the other side and together they kissed each of Merlin's knuckles and whispered words of love and reassurance into his ears until the four of them fell asleep.

Arthur and Lancelot woke up the next morning to an empty bed, besides each other. But they didn't worry, Gwen and Merlin were early risers by habit, as was the knight usually but training yesterday had really taken it out of him. They cuddled closer, Lancelot wrapping his arms around Arthur's warm, exposed chest, tucking themselves deeper under the blankets.

Speaking of the two missing members, they appeared from behind the dressing screen, dressed already, but not in their normal attire. 

"Good morning, my dear, my love," Gwen called from across the chamber,

"Like what you see?"

Merlin smirked at the two as they finally noticed what he and Gwen were wearing, their eyes roaming from him to her to his shirt to her trousers, like they didn't know what to look at first.

She was dressed in Lancelot's white shirt from the evening before, which was so thin it was almost see-through, teasing the sight of the light blue bodice Gwen wore underneath, and a pair of her own tailored trousers, as the man's were too long for her petite legs.

Merlin had on one of Arthur's favourite shirts on, a pinky red, with the ties removed from the deep neck cut, exposing the golden valley of chest. His legs were bare but he had Arthur's honey coloured leather hunting jacket slung over his shoulders and a twinkle in his eye.

"You look..." Arthur trailed off as he vaulted out of bed and approached the two, capturing Gwen's hand in his.

"Picturesque..." Lancelot finished, cupping Merlin's cheek in his palm.

Gwen and Merlin giggled at their speechless lovers and joined hand as Arthur and Lancelot did the same, the knight's other hand slipping down from the sorcerer's face to join with Merlin's free one.

They gently swayed in place as Merlin and Lancelot hummed a tune, Arthur whistled along and Gwen tapped her barefoot to the tempo. As the moments went on they began to spin a ring, forgetting the song and filling the air with laughter instead.

And in that moment, looking round at all of his loves, Arthur wondered why the saying was, "Two's a couple."


End file.
